Data Science students in pursuit of an imperfect dream

by Mike Phipps

For students on our International Foundation Programme (IFP), technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed their learning experiences. Translation tools can reduce language barriers, web programmes can provide worked solutions to maths problems, and for those who might flirt with academic misconduct, ChatGPT can even write whole assignments. For some, though, AI and the related domain of Data Science are not just a study tool but also an increasingly popular degree choice. We have seen this on our IFP, and in part to support them, we are developing a foundation module in Python programming. (more…)

Challenging chats: Exploring AI Literacy on a Pre-sessional Course

 Introduction

This article was co-written by four international post-graduate students – Natt, Haoyuan, Yen-En, and Liming – and their pre-sessional teacher, Martha. It presents the students’ evolving perspectives on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically ChatGPT. They share their journey from casual engagement with AI to recognizing its value as a study aid. The article also highlights the teacher’s research project, which aimed to understand how to develop the students’ AI literacy on their 2023 pre-sessional course. (more…)